This is the Authentic "The DUKE" NFL® Game Ball from Wilson®. Wilson Sporting Goods Company has been the official supplier of NFL Game Balls since 1941 when George Halas brought Wilson Sporting Goods and the NFL together. Made in the USA since 1955 by skilled craftsmen. Wilson Game Footballs are used by every major football league.
Designed for the serious competitor/professional!- Stamped with "THE DUKE."
- Commissioner Roger Goodell signature stamp
- (Goodell is the commissioner since 2006)
- NFL Shield
- Genuine hand sewn leather
- Traditional leather feel provides superior playability for the elite competitor
- Exclusive Wilson® NFL® leather with Tanned in Tack® for professional grip
- 3-ply VPU bladder for maximum durability and air retention
- Double laced
- Professional pattern
- Official size and weight
- Hand-crafted in the U.S.A.
Grab onto a piece of history with Wilson's official NFL game ball--The Duke--which is dedicated to football legend Wellington "Duke" Mara. More than just a piece of memorabilia, The Duke is designed with the serious competitor in mind, with genuine hand-sewn, Tanned in Tack leather for superior playability and grip, and 3-ply VPU bladder for maximum durability and air retention. Other features include double lacing, the official NFL seal in gold, and Commissioner Roger Goodell signature stamp.
The return of The Duke. |
Wellington "The Duke" Mara passed away in October, 2005 at the age of 89 after dedicating 81 years to the New York Giants as an administrator, owner, and unwavering booster. In 1940, heeding the advice of influential team owners Tim Mara of the New York Giants and George Halas of the Chicago Bears, the NFL selected Wilson as the league's official football supplier. The following year, Wilson introduced a redesigned football and named it "The Duke" in honor of Mara's son, Wellington. The Duke stayed in play for nearly three decades until the NFL and AFL merged in 1969.
About Wilson
At the heart of sports history for almost a century, Wilson has been influential and intimately involved in shaping the games of tennis, golf, baseball, and American football. As the originator of breakthrough technologies, Wilson has produced legendary classics and earned world-wide legitimacy in each sport it participates in. The world's leading manufacturer of ball sports equipment, Wilson's core sports include tennis, baseball, American football, golf, basketball, softball, badminton, and squash. A division of Helsinki-based Amer Sports, Wilson is headquartered in Chicago.
